Maintainers Weekly Check In - September 2018

13

Replies

  • missperfectpitch
    missperfectpitch Posts: 611 Member
    Name: missperfectpitch
    Height: 5'4"
    Total weight lost: About 43 pounds
    Time it took to lose: 1 year and 2 months
    How long in maintenance: I hit my goal weight in the beginning of January 2018, but officially started maintenance in mid-March 2018 after figuring out my calories for a couple of months.
    Maintenance weight range: 108-111.5

    Average weight recorded from January: 110.6
    Average weight recorded from February: 109.5
    Average weight recorded from March: 109.0
    Average weight recorded from April: 109.1
    Average weight recorded from May: 109.3
    Average weight recorded from June: 109.7
    Average weight recorded from July: 110.1
    Average weight recorded from August: 109.7

    Week of...
    September 1: 110.3 (trend 109.8)
    September 8: 110.1 (trend 110)
    September 15: 110.7 (trend 110.4)
    September 22: 110.7 (trend 110.5)
    September 29:

    Success(es)/struggle(s) of the week: My weight was up most of this week, probably because of a couple of high sodium meals I made making me retain a ton of water. Dropped some water weight for today's weigh-in, so not stressing about it too much. I'm hoping that my weight will stay down this coming week.
  • mph323
    mph323 Posts: 3,565 Member
    mtaratoot wrote: »
    Name: It's ME!
    That leads to a question for y'all; how did you set your goal weight range, and did you revise it up/down after that? If so, why did you revise it? Thanks for the feedback!

    I originally set my goal weight to the middle of my healthy BMI range, since that was the weight I was able to maintain for years while I was cycling regularly and had a 20 minute commute to work. I gained about 35 lbs. when I moved (a lot) further away about 15 years ago, and took on a ridiculously long commute and cut way back on my riding and activity in general. When I got to that weight last year I found that being considerably older and not as strong, my original goal weight was now too heavy to do the type of cycling I wanted to do. I set a new goal 15 lbs. lighter at the bottom of my healthy BMI and I've been maintaining for about 6 months. The lighter weight is making a noticeable difference in my cycling, so I plan to stay here. If/when I have to cut back my activity, I'll probably go back up 10 lbs. or so in order to be able to continue eating the extra calories.
  • mtaratoot
    mtaratoot Posts: 14,228 Member
    mph323 wrote: »
    mtaratoot wrote: »
    Name: It's ME!
    That leads to a question for y'all; how did you set your goal weight range, and did you revise it up/down after that? If so, why did you revise it? Thanks for the feedback!

    I originally set my goal weight to the middle of my healthy BMI range, since that was the weight I was able to maintain for years while I was cycling regularly and had a 20 minute commute to work. I gained about 35 lbs. when I moved (a lot) further away about 15 years ago, and took on a ridiculously long commute and cut way back on my riding and activity in general. When I got to that weight last year I found that being considerably older and not as strong, my original goal weight was now too heavy to do the type of cycling I wanted to do. I set a new goal 15 lbs. lighter at the bottom of my healthy BMI and I've been maintaining for about 6 months. The lighter weight is making a noticeable difference in my cycling, so I plan to stay here. If/when I have to cut back my activity, I'll probably go back up 10 lbs. or so in order to be able to continue eating the extra calories.

    Thanks for your comments! That's sort of how I started with a goal weight range, but it wasn't necessarily at the midpoint of healthy BMI. But that depends on how BMI is calculated.

    If my goal weight was right in the middle of healthy BMI (i.e., BMI about 21.7), my goal would be much LOWER (i.e., about 137 pounds instead of 145). I'm currently at the upper end of the healthy BMI range at about 23; I was down around 22.6 in July and August when I was at my goal weight.

    I have seen the the Smart BMI calculator referenced here, and I had also stumbled upon it independently. If I use that calculator, my SBMI is 34/70, which oddly enough is pretty much just below dead center of the normal weight range (SBMI 30 to 39). This still leaves me scratching my head as to where a realistic healthy goal should be.

    I have a scale that provides some other body composition data from bio-electrical impedance. I don't really believe those numbers, but it suggests my body fat % is fluctuating at or just above 20 with a recent jump. It was allegedly up at or above 23% when I started my journey, so the trend is encouraging. My long term goal was to get body fat below 17%, BMI below 23, and weight just a few pounds below where I am now.

    So thanks again for the way you set YOUR goal and then revised it. I need to remember it's a journey. It's ok if I stop for while to take in the attractions; I'll be continuing on the path when the side show is over. Sorry for the terrible analogy.
  • mph323
    mph323 Posts: 3,565 Member
    mtaratoot wrote: »
    mph323 wrote: »
    mtaratoot wrote: »
    Name: It's ME!
    That leads to a question for y'all; how did you set your goal weight range, and did you revise it up/down after that? If so, why did you revise it? Thanks for the feedback!

    I originally set my goal weight to the middle of my healthy BMI range, since that was the weight I was able to maintain for years while I was cycling regularly and had a 20 minute commute to work. I gained about 35 lbs. when I moved (a lot) further away about 15 years ago, and took on a ridiculously long commute and cut way back on my riding and activity in general. When I got to that weight last year I found that being considerably older and not as strong, my original goal weight was now too heavy to do the type of cycling I wanted to do. I set a new goal 15 lbs. lighter at the bottom of my healthy BMI and I've been maintaining for about 6 months. The lighter weight is making a noticeable difference in my cycling, so I plan to stay here. If/when I have to cut back my activity, I'll probably go back up 10 lbs. or so in order to be able to continue eating the extra calories.

    Thanks for your comments! That's sort of how I started with a goal weight range, but it wasn't necessarily at the midpoint of healthy BMI. But that depends on how BMI is calculated.

    If my goal weight was right in the middle of healthy BMI (i.e., BMI about 21.7), my goal would be much LOWER (i.e., about 137 pounds instead of 145). I'm currently at the upper end of the healthy BMI range at about 23; I was down around 22.6 in July and August when I was at my goal weight.

    I have seen the the Smart BMI calculator referenced here, and I had also stumbled upon it independently. If I use that calculator, my SBMI is 34/70, which oddly enough is pretty much just below dead center of the normal weight range (SBMI 30 to 39). This still leaves me scratching my head as to where a realistic healthy goal should be.

    I have a scale that provides some other body composition data from bio-electrical impedance. I don't really believe those numbers, but it suggests my body fat % is fluctuating at or just above 20 with a recent jump. It was allegedly up at or above 23% when I started my journey, so the trend is encouraging. My long term goal was to get body fat below 17%, BMI below 23, and weight just a few pounds below where I am now.

    So thanks again for the way you set YOUR goal and then revised it. I need to remember it's a journey. It's ok if I stop for while to take in the attractions; I'll be continuing on the path when the side show is over. Sorry for the terrible analogy.

    I feel like finding your sweet spot with your maintenance weight can be a lot of trial and error, especially if you're not starting out with a reference from the past of a weight that was comfortable and maintainable. Healthy weight ranges can be 20 - 25 lbs. or more between top and bottom of the scale, people have different body shapes and looks that they want to achieve, specific activities may be optimized at specific weights - the list goes on!
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    kgirlhart wrote: »
    Name: Kathryn
    Age: 50
    Height: 5'3.5"
    Total Weight lost: ~76 lbs
    Time it took to lose: 2 years 3 months
    How long in maintenance: I called maintenance in July 2016, but I continued to slowly lose until December of 2017. I have been in maintenance for ~ 9 months
    Maintenance weight range: 118 - 122 lbs
    Average weight recorded from 2017: 123.4


    Average weight recorded from January: 119.2
    Average weight recorded from February: 119.6
    Average weight recorded from March: 119.6
    Average weight recorded from April: 119.6
    Average weight recorded from May: 119.7
    Average weight recorded from June: 119.4
    Average weight recorded from July: 119.8
    Average weight recorded from August: 118.8

    Week of...
    September 2: 118.4 scale/ 118.6 trend
    September 9: 119.0 scale/ 118.5 trend
    September 16: 119.6 scale/ 118.6 trend
    September 23: 118.2 scale/ 117.8 trend
    September 30:

    Success(es)/struggle(s) of the week: I'm feeling a little frustrated lately. My weight has been at the very bottom of my range, and has even dropped below range a few times. This weekend my weight dropped down two pounds below my range and even my trend has dropped a bit below range. I was back up 2 pounds this morning, so that was good. But it is so hard to change the mindset from always wanting the weight to be lower and even when I do not want it lower, it still bothers me a little when it is higher. Other than my weight being a little lower than the maintenance range I set for myself, I feel great. I feel like I am eating a lot. My activity level is good and feels comfortable. I feel like my running has improved lately. I think cooler temperatures are helping that. I think I look good. I do have some loose skin that I wish would tighten up, but no one really sees that but me and my husband. I guess I am just venting. Who knew maintaining would be so hard?

    It doesn't look like you are finding maintaining your weight hard, not with your trends but I get that mentally its still a struggle - it will improve over time, took me a few years and even being 5 years at goal weight range I sometimes doubt I am 'doing it right'. Its a mental game I suppose.

    The 2lbs you are down and then up is a fluctuation, you can keep an eye on that, if it continues to stay down then you know you can increase your cals.
    Great to hear all the positives as well :smile:
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    edited September 2018
    Lora2380 wrote: »
    Name:Lora
    Age: 38
    Height: 5’5”
    Total weight lost:MFP +\- 40lbs, 45lbs all together
    Time it took to lose: 8 months
    How long in maintenance: new
    Maintenance weight range: 126-132lbs
    Average weight recorded from 2017 (12 months): 175


    Average weight recorded from June: 135lbs
    Average weight recorded from July: 132lbs
    Average weight recorded from Aug: 131lbs

    Sept 6th- 130lbs
    Sept15- 131lbs
    Sept 27- 128.6lbs

    Success- down a bit to give myself a bit of a buffer and felling good in my clothes.

    Struggles- Nervous to be adding things back into the diet and eat at maintenance cals after so long being in a deficit. Want to not fill my extra cals with junk food. Late night snacking has been creeping back into my routine and I’d like to curb that. Skin around my middle is pretty loose again and I’m thinking it’s the last 5 lbs I’ve loss and fingers crossed it tightens up over the next few months now that I’m done losing.

    Congrats and welcome to maintenance :smile:
    Nothing wrong with adding those extra cals you get in maintenance as a late night snack - go easy on yourself, you have lost weight, got to goal and if you keep an eye on your trending weight range you will be fine at maintaining.

    Do you exercise? strength training is fab for tightening up everywhere.
  • Lora2380
    Lora2380 Posts: 195 Member
    After reading so many peoples stories on this thread and others I’ve decided to try weight training and am going to sign up at the local gym today. I’m really nervous and pushing WAY out of my comfort zone to do exercise in public but I’m excited at the same time. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Lora2380 wrote: »
    After reading so many peoples stories on this thread and others I’ve decided to try weight training and am going to sign up at the local gym today. I’m really nervous and pushing WAY out of my comfort zone to do exercise in public but I’m excited at the same time. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

    Go for it :smile:
    I am a home gym bunny personally but many that do use gyms have a few PT sessions to begin with to get a feel for the machines/form etc.
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,156 Member
    LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »
    kgirlhart wrote: »
    Name: Kathryn
    Age: 50
    Height: 5'3.5"
    Total Weight lost: ~76 lbs
    Time it took to lose: 2 years 3 months
    How long in maintenance: I called maintenance in July 2016, but I continued to slowly lose until December of 2017. I have been in maintenance for ~ 9 months
    Maintenance weight range: 118 - 122 lbs
    Average weight recorded from 2017: 123.4


    Average weight recorded from January: 119.2
    Average weight recorded from February: 119.6
    Average weight recorded from March: 119.6
    Average weight recorded from April: 119.6
    Average weight recorded from May: 119.7
    Average weight recorded from June: 119.4
    Average weight recorded from July: 119.8
    Average weight recorded from August: 118.8

    Week of...
    September 2: 118.4 scale/ 118.6 trend
    September 9: 119.0 scale/ 118.5 trend
    September 16: 119.6 scale/ 118.6 trend
    September 23: 118.2 scale/ 117.8 trend
    September 30:

    Success(es)/struggle(s) of the week: I'm feeling a little frustrated lately. My weight has been at the very bottom of my range, and has even dropped below range a few times. This weekend my weight dropped down two pounds below my range and even my trend has dropped a bit below range. I was back up 2 pounds this morning, so that was good. But it is so hard to change the mindset from always wanting the weight to be lower and even when I do not want it lower, it still bothers me a little when it is higher. Other than my weight being a little lower than the maintenance range I set for myself, I feel great. I feel like I am eating a lot. My activity level is good and feels comfortable. I feel like my running has improved lately. I think cooler temperatures are helping that. I think I look good. I do have some loose skin that I wish would tighten up, but no one really sees that but me and my husband. I guess I am just venting. Who knew maintaining would be so hard?

    It doesn't look like you are finding maintaining your weight hard, not with your trends but I get that mentally its still a struggle - it will improve over time, took me a few years and even being 5 years at goal weight range I sometimes doubt I am 'doing it right'. Its a mental game I suppose.

    The 2lbs you are down and then up is a fluctuation, you can keep an eye on that, if it continues to stay down then you know you can increase your cals.
    Great to hear all the positives as well :smile:

    Thanks.
  • mph323
    mph323 Posts: 3,565 Member
    Lora2380 wrote: »
    After reading so many peoples stories on this thread and others I’ve decided to try weight training and am going to sign up at the local gym today. I’m really nervous and pushing WAY out of my comfort zone to do exercise in public but I’m excited at the same time. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

    I've been thinking about how to approach initial PT consults when your goal is to get enough information out of one or two sessions to be able to follow through on your own. I think it might be helpful to ask the PT what structured program they would recommend for you to follow (anything that starts out at a beginner level), and then show you how to use the equipment that would be relevant to that program.

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